A. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to golf spikes, and comprises a two-piece rigid golf spike which is readily locked to the sole of a golf shoe.
B. Prior Art
Golf spikes are a form of cleat which are attached to the shoe of a wearer for engaging turf to thereby provide a firm grip. Typically, the golf spikes consist of a rounded plate, having a spike protruding therefrom for engaging the turf.
Various methods of attaching the spikes to the shoe may be used, but the method most commonly used is to provide a threaded head on the inward-facing end of the spike which screws into a matching threaded receptacle in the sole of the shoe. In order to lock the plate to the shoe and prevent its unscrewing, protuberances are sometimes provided on the concave side of the plate; these protuberances bear against the sole of the shoe with increasing force as the spike is screwed into the shoe, and provide forces resisting unscrewing.
Sometimes these protuberances are in the form of a sawtooth to provide a more effective resisting force; for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,624,128, issued Jan. 6, 1973 to Fred C. Phillips and entitled "Calk for Golf Shoes". These protuberances score the sole of the shoe during insertion and form a groove in which the material is compressed and chafed. This damages the shoe, and reduces the number or times that the spikes can be replaced without also replacing or repairing the shoe.
Frequently the spike member and the plate are two spearate members which are joined together during manufacturing to form a single unit. A strong bond between the two is required to resist the hard usage the golf spikes receive during normal wear. Further, the golf spikes are frequently most conveniently attached to golf shoes by utilizing the plate portion as a torque-applying member. This imposes a further substantial strain on the fastening between the plate and the spike member.
Various methods have been used to provide the necessary connecting strength between the parts. Typically, however, the strongest bonds have been produced by requiring substantial metal flow between the spike and the plate. This complicates the required tooling and increases manufacturing costs.